Wright county government, in partnership with the meada coalition, will work to address coalition building and youth substance use in alignment with the drug-free communities goals. - the meada…

The Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention awarded Wright County Government $125,000 on July 1, 2026, under the Drug-Free Communities Support Program Grants (CFDA 93.276), a Project Grant to support coalition-building and youth substance use prevention in Wright County, Minnesota.

Wright County Government, operating as Wright County Human Services in partnership with the MEADA Coalition, will implement community prevention strategies targeting alcohol, tobacco and nicotine via vaping devices, and cannabis use among youth from elementary school through adulthood. The initiative leverages 12 required sector representatives to develop and execute activities including community awareness campaigns through presentations, public service announcements, and social media; education and skill-building programs for youth, adults, and community members; and compliance and enforcement activities such as substance access reduction checks and clerk education. The award funds work through June 30, 2031.

The DFC Support Program aims to establish and strengthen collaborations among community coalitions, public and private nonprofit agencies, and federal, state, local, and tribal governments to prevent and reduce substance abuse among youth and, over time, among adults by addressing community risk factors and promoting protective factors.

Wright county government, in partnership with the meada coalition, will work to address coalition building and youth substance use in alignment with the drug-free communities goals. - the meada coalition collaborates with various local partners with deep rooted passion for the youth in wright county. Each partner brings their own mission, vision, and values, while supporting the collective mission that meada upholds. Members of the coalition bring their expertise, both personally and professionally, to meetings and community events. Even with the immense prevention efforts of meada members in the last 20 years, youth substance use remains an issue. With the changing landscape of drug use, the growing influence of social media platforms, and the increasing demands on parents, caregivers, and youth, the coalition had to continue changing strategies. Meada will focus on alcohol, tobacco/nicotine (via vaping device) and cannabis (due to recent cannabis legalization). IT is recognized that vaping is not a substance but has proven to be a commonly used delivery device, both qualitatively and quantitively, for wright county youth. Utilizing the 12 required sector representatives, strategies and activities will be developed and implemented to increase community awareness of local trends through education campaigns and initiatives and to reduce youth access to substances through compliance checks, standard set back requirements, and clerk education programs. Efforts will be targeted towards youth from elementary through high school and into adulthood. These will include- • providing information to the community through presentations, public service announcements, website/social communication, etc. • enhancing skills of youth, adults, and community members by encouraging best practice models, school programming, and opportunities for growth. • providing support to those working to reduce risk factors and increase involvement in substance free activities and/or healthy alternatives. • increasing access, reducing barriers, and improving connections between systems. • changing consequences and physical design to incentivize positive practices and disincentivize negative practices of local point of sale retailer establishments. • educating and informing about policies that reduce access and availability to youth. To achieve DFC goal one, meada will implement objectives to expand partnerships with coalition members and the community and engage/equip youth to participate through increased representation and engagement in coalition meetings, activities, and membership. Objectives aimed at achieving DFC goal two are specific to decreasing youth 30-day of alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis; increasing the perception of harm from substance use; and increasing use of evidence-based prevention programs in the school setting. Overall, the meada coalition is committed to implementing strategies that limit youth access to substances, inform youth beliefs and perceptions of substance use, and support healthy activities that promote protective factors in the community.